Goalkeeper set to join Corinthians starts ball training at Fortaleza

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Central do Timão

·19 February 2026

Goalkeeper set to join Corinthians starts ball training at Fortaleza

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

The goalkeeper João Ricardo, 37 years old, who has an agreement in place with Corinthians and is in the recovery phase from a shoulder tendon injury, has already started ball training at Fortaleza – check the video at the end of this article. The experienced goalkeeper is following a specific program set by the northeastern team and is not yet ready to return to play.

At the beginning of January, Corinthians reached an agreement with Fortaleza for the arrival of the goalkeeper, who will come to be the immediate backup for Hugo Souza. The agreement will only be finalized after the athlete's treatment is completed and the player passes medical exams at Alvinegro. The expectation is that the athlete, who underwent surgery back in October, will be announced by the club from Parque São Jorge during March.

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Photo: Matheus Amorim/Fortaleza EC

The goalkeeper also worked with coach Dorival Júnior in 2022 at Ceará. During that period, the coach was with the northeastern team for a few months before moving to Flamengo in the middle of the season. Currently, the Corinthians team has the following options for the position: Hugo Souza, Felipe Longo, and Kauê Camargo. Matheus Donelli, meanwhile, is being loaned to Al-Shabab Ahli, from the United Arab Emirates.

João Ricardo began his career in 2008, playing for Brusque and Concórdia, both from Santa Catarina. However, he gained national recognition starting in 2014 when he began playing for América-MG, where he stayed until 2018. He then moved to Chapecoense, where he played in the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

The following year, he went to Ceará, stood out, and played there for two years – 2021 and 2022, leaving the club after relegation to Série B. Since 2023, he has been at Fortaleza, where he has played 154 games and won two titles: Campeonato Cearense (2023) and Copa do Nordeste (2024).

Check out the video of the goalkeeper training with the ball at Fortaleza below:

See this photo on Instagram A post shared by Jogada (@jogadasvm)

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